-ose

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

-ose¹ ,suffix. 

1. -ose is attached to roots to form adjectives with the meaning "full of, abounding in, given to, or like (the root):''
   verb- (= word) + -ose → verbose (= full of words);
   bellic- (= war) + -ose → bellicose (= eager for fighting or war).

-ose² ,suffix. 

1. Chemistry -ose is attached to roots to form nouns that name sugars, carbohydrates, and substances that are formed from proteins:
   fruct- + -ose → fructose (= a fruit sugar);
   lact- + -ose → lactose (= a milk sugar);
   prote- + ose → proteose (= a compound made from protein).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

-ose,¹ 

1. a suffix occurring in adjectives borrowed from Latin, meaning "full of,'' "abounding in,'' "given to,'' "like'':
   frondose;
   jocose;
   otiose;
   verbose.

• Latin -ōsus. Compare -ous

-ose,² 

1. Chemistry a suffix used in chemical terminology to form the names of sugars and other carbohydrates (amylose;
   fructose;
   hexose;
   lactose), and of protein derivatives (proteose).

• extracted from glucose

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-ose suffix:forming_adjectives

1. possessing; resembling: verbose, grandiose

Etymology: from Latin -ōsus; see -ous

-ose suffix:forming_nouns

1. indicating a carbohydrate, esp a sugar: lactose
2. indicating a decomposition product of protein: albumose

Etymology: from glucose